APC National Legal Adviser and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Muiz Banire, has strongly condemned FCT Minister Nyesom Wike’s recent confrontation with a naval officer in Abuja, calling it a disturbing abuse of office and an erosion of institutional respect.
In a commentary titled “Congratulations, Minister Wike,” Banire criticized the incident—which was captured on camera—as illustrating a dangerous trend where public officials “weaponize authority” rather than exhibit democratic restraint.
He asserted that the clash over a disputed plot of land in Gaduwa was “a troubling reflection of the arrogance of power, the undermining of procedural norms, and the degradation of our governance architecture.”
Banire notes that land administration in the FCT is a sensitive, high-stakes terrain that requires strict adherence to due process.
Instead, he said, the Minister’s behaviour ordering access, confronting a commissioned officer, and using uncomplimentary language demonstrated a spectacle of intimidation rather than stewardship.
He observed that the naval officer, Lt. A. M. Yarima, displayed remarkable calm and professionalism despite being publicly insulted, adding that such restraint should be commended, not ridiculed.
For Banire, the Minister’s conduct amounted to “public airing of contempt toward uniformed service, a humiliation not just of the officer but of the ihttps://persecondnews.com/wp-admin/media-upload.php?post_id=99685&type=image&TB_iframe=1nstitution he represents.”
Banire warns that incidents like this corrode the delicate balance between civil authority and the armed forces.
“When a Minister calls a commissioned officer ‘a fool’ on camera,” he writes, “it sends a message that respect for disciplined services is negotiable, and that is dangerous.”
He added that Wike’s behaviour risked provoking unnecessary escalation and even physical confrontation something VIP protection officers on ground failed to prevent.
Beyond the personalities involved, Banire frames the incident as symptomatic of a broader governance crisis, where public officials mistake personal power for institutional authority, and opt for drama instead of due process.
Persecondnews reports that Dr. Banire makes an emphatic case for accountability: “This incident has compromised public trust. The Minister must not only be rebuked but must render a formal apology or clarification acknowledging his error.”
He insists that the apology must be direct and specific—addressed to the naval officer involved, the Nigerian Navy, and by extension the entire Armed Forces whose dignity was injured.
Such an apology, he argued, is necessary to restore confidence, reinforce the chain of command, and re-establish boundaries between civil administration and military professionalism.
Banire further called for the establishment of clear engagement protocols between FCTA officials and uniformed personnel to prevent a repeat of what he terms “a needless power theatre.”
The SAN stressed that Nigeria’s progress depends on leaders who understand that power must be exercised with humility and respect.
“Office is not licence; power is not right; and due process is not optional,” Banire writes. In our pursuit of good governance, this moment must serve as a reminder that no public official is above the law.”
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